Dennis Howard

(Entertainment industry consultant/music producer)

(1) Henry ‘Junjo’ Lawes is the father of modern dancehall music and lifestyle. He defined the genre in terms of musical direction and lifestyle.

(2) Lloyd ‘King Jammy’s’ James was the most prolific hit-maker and innovator of dancehall in the 1980s and early 1990s. Jammy’s is responsible for introducing the digital sound to Jamaican popular music and made dub plates an essential accessory of sound system culture.

(3) Clement ‘Coxson’ Dodd

One of the fathers of Jamaican popular music, ‘Downbeat’ kickstarted dancehall with the music of Lone Ranger, Michigan and Smiley and Sugar Minott. His label, Studio One, is responsible for the first dancehall album, Live Loving, by Sugar Minott and dancehall classics such as Nice up The Dance and Rub a Dub Style

(4) Tony Kelly

The most prolific hit-maker of the 1990s and early 2000s in terms of national and international output. Involved in major hits such as Flex (Cobra), Ghetto Red Hot (Super Cat), plus countless big songs such as Chi Chi Man by TOK and Beenie Man’s King of the Dancehall. Does not get the credit he deserves.

(5) Dave Kelly made the most fun dancehall songs as writer and producer, along the way giving the genre a major hype. The 2000s belonged to Dave Kelly who despite his impact in Jamaica, the Jamaican Diaspora and Caribbean, did not score a lot of hits internationally.

(6) Steely and Clevie, the most creative and innovative producers, re-introducing traditional forms like mento, revival and pocomania to popular music. The duo’s drum track from Pocoman Jump was the foundation for Reggaeton in Panama and Puerto Rico. They provided the most backing tracks for dancehall hits and worked with many international artistes including Billy Ocean.

(7) Bobby ‘Digital’ Dixon is noted for his signature sound and seamless production values. He ruled the 1990s and 2000s with hit songs galore from Shabba Ranks, Admiral Tibet, Garnet Silk and Sizzla.

(8) Donovan Germain is known for his work with Buju Banton, Wayne Wonder, Tony Rebel and Cutty Ranks, Germain has an amazing discography of reggae and classic dancehall gems.

(9) Sly and Robbie are the best international producers of Jamaican music, hands down. Their incredible catalogue started in the 1980s and continues to the present, providing dancehall with an eclectic mix of sound and styles.

(10) King Tubby

There would be no dancehall genre without Osbourne Ruddock. His engineering techniques were the essential toolkit for early dancehall and he also contributed the early digital sound. King Tubby not only redefined Jamaican recording but also changed the way music is produced and represented globally pre-Pro- tools.